MQFF Midsumma Movies: To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar

MQFF brings you a sizzling weekend of the newest and most fabulous queer cinema

Now that our Priscilla has turned 30, we can turn our eyes towards that other mid-‘90s, cult classic, drag queen road trip comedy, which is also about to enjoy that same anniversary. For Hugo Weaving, Guy Pearce and Terence Stamp, substitute Wesley Snipes, Patrick Swayze and John Leguizamo; for Alice Springs, think Tinseltown itself.

Vida Boheme (Swayze) and Noxeema Jackson (Snipes) are elite Manhattan queens bound for a drag pageant in Hollywood in a yellow ‘67 Cadillac convertible. After taking hapless drag newbie Chi-Chi Rodriguez (Leguizamo) under their wings, they find themselves stranded in a small Midwestern town, where an almighty charm offensive will be required to win over the sometimes unwelcoming locals.

Director Beeban Kidron (also known for Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004) and, these days, a Baroness, officially) worked with an extraordinary cast – Swayze and Leguizamo were both nominated for Golden Globes – which was boosted by the legendary Stockard Channing and a dazzling array of starry cameos, from Robin Williams and Quentin Crisp to a pre-Drag Race RuPaul and a certain Catwoman of yesteryear…

• Director: Beeban Kidron
• Country: USA (1995)
• Rating: PG
• Runtime: 109 minutes